Hemp CBD Flower Buds: All That You Should Know

Prior to the legalization of CBD, its source plant, hemp was solely used for industrial purposes. Its fiber is used in the textile industry and its seeds are used as a food supplement for its high nutritional value. Cannabis plants are known since ages as excellent therapeutics that can offer a cure to various physical and mental health disorders. Hemp is a cannabis plant too. However, the governments across the world were skeptical about cannabis because of the intoxicating effect it produces on the users, which sheds light on the possibility of it turning addictive.

But the case of hemp is different. Although it is a cannabis plant, its percentage content of THC, the primary intoxicating compound in cannabis is fairly low and insufficient to give a high to the users. This was reason enough for the US government to legalize the use of hemp and hemp-derived CBD in therapeutics, food supplements, and personal care products.

What Are CBD Flower Buds?

The buds of the female hemp plant, specifically bred to maximize the production of cannabidiol are referred to as hemp CBD flower buds. They contain high amounts of CBD and low percentages of THC(less than 0.3%). Because its THC content is less than the limit set by the US law, hemp flower buds are legal in the US.

In addition to CBD and THC, hemp flowers contain more than 150 cannabinoids including CBDa, CBDV, CBG, CBN, THCv, etc and terpenes like a-Pinene, Caryophyllene, and limonene. Flavinoids, essential fatty acids, plant proteins, and other phytonutrients are the other major compounds in hemp flowers.

As the individual compounds work together, a synergistic effect termed as the entourage effect can be expected.

How To Use Hemp Flower Buds?

Owing to its high versatility, the options in using hemp flower buds seem to be never-ending. In its raw, dried form, hemp flower buds mostly contain the acidic form of cannabidiol, CBDa(Cannabidiolic acid). To get the best benefits out of hemp flower buds, the compounds like CBDa that are in their pre-cursor state have to be activated through decarboxylation. The process involves heating of the hemp flower buds to convert CBDa to CBD.

As you smoke or vape hemp flowers, decarboxylation happens instantly and need not be performed as an additional step. However, if you are planning to add hemp flower buds into edibles or dry capsules, decarboxylation has to be carried out necessarily.